Photo 19 from the Waipi‘o Valley Road Photograph Log within the Preliminary Geotechnical Engineering Evaluation, showing the narrow road with “jointed basalt with clinker zones observed upslope of road.”

(BIVN) – The County of Hawaiʻi is forming a new advisory committee to talk about possible solutions to the issues concerning the Waipiʻo Valley Access Road.

Mayor Mitch Roth announced on Friday that he will stand up a Mayor’s Advisory Committee for Waipiʻo Valley’s Emergency Road Closure to “facilitate communication of the significant community concerns and possible solutions relating to road safety and access to the roadway through the emergency period.”

According to a County news release, the Advisory Committee will be made up of 13-members representing the public, and four members representing the County government. The makeup of the committee will consist of the following:

Public Representation

• (2) Representatives of the “farming” community
• (2) Representative of the “ocean” community (at least one from suit)
• (2) Representatives from the “tourism” community
• (1) Representative of the Waipiʻo “kupuna” community
• (1) Representative from the Waipiʻo “lineal descendant” community
• (1) Representative from Kamehameha Schools
• (1) Representative from Bishop Museum
• (1) Representative from State DLNR
• (1) Cultural practitioner from the area
• (1) Student (18 and under) from the area

County Representation

• (1) Representative from the Office of the Mayor
• (1) Representative from DPW
• (1) Representative from Corp. Counsel
• (1) Representative from the County Council

The County says most of the Advisory Committee meetings will be held on Zoom, with some being in-person, as needed. The committee will be volunteer only, with no member receiving compensation.

“The purpose of the committee is to discuss access to the County roadway and is not intended to discuss access to private property,” the County news release stated.

image from file video of Waipiʻo Valley

“With safety as the guiding consideration, our goal is to move forward in a way that respectfully engages the various stakeholders and seeks meaningful agreement amongst the engaged parties,” said Mayor Mitch Roth. “There is undoubtedly a lot of aloha for the valley, and we need to find a balance that respects that aloha while ensuring the safety of those who traverse the roadway. We realize that short-term access to the County roadway is not a long-term solution for valley access, but we do hope to contribute to the efforts of the long-term management steering committee.”

Councilwoman Heather Kimball, a member of the long-term steering committee, said, “These two efforts should weave together well and provide for both a forum to respond to the immediate situation and pathway to communicate with the efforts to develop long-term plans,” said Hawaiʻi County Councilwoman Heather Kimball.

Interested community members are asked to contact Cyrus Johnasen, Public Information Officer, at cyrus.johnasen@hawaiicounty.gov for more information and to apply today. The deadline to apply is Friday, December 9, at 11:59 pm.